“We are privileged to have a board that is truly committed to the 1-to-1 mentoring services we provide and with Betsy as our new board president, we will match more children with mentors and be able to achieve big things here at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Seacoast,” said Executive Director Stacy Kramer.

Betsy and her husband John relocated from Boston to the Seacoast in 1999, and “we were both immediately attracted to the Big Brothers Big Sisters mission,” said Rawlings. “And after my husband's Portsmouth-based company became a corporate sponsor, I decided to join the board.”

Over the past five years as a board member, Betsy has enthusiastically applied her diverse skills learned during a 25-year career in high-end retail management, including chairing the agencies' signature fundraising events and overseeing the board's development committee.

“As a parent of a 10-year-old boy I understand the importance of adult guidance and support in a young person's life, and as a community member I recognize the positive impact the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization has on so many families,” said Rawlings. “With the agency celebrating our 35th year, I am excited for what the future holds. We have strong staff and a visionary board of directors working together to achieve the organization's goals. While at present we mentor 300 children in 39 towns in both Rockingham and Strafford Counties, we still have a wait list. My hope is that with increased community awareness and new program initiatives we can eliminate the wait list and be able to serve even more children in need.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Seacoast's mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better forever. If you are interested in becoming a Big or you know a child that could benefit from being a Little, please call (603) 430-1140 or visit www.bbbsgs.org.